22nd FLiFF Announces Gary Sinise As Honored Guest - CinemaDave

The 22nd Annual Fort Lauderdale International(FLIFF 2007) will present actor/director Gary Sinise with a Career Achievement In Film Awardon Friday, November 9th, 7:00PM during their 26 day cinematic event held from October 15 – November 11, 2007. The award winning actor and director will attend the event, held at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on Nova Southeastern University Campus. The festival will reflect upon some of his most memorable moments on screen via a collage of film clips. Following the presentation, there will be an Inside The Actors Studio style audience Q&A with Gary, hosted by Phoebe Flowers, staff writer and former film writer at The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. A reception in his honor will be held directly afterwards, at The Signature Grand. The reception is sponsored by Smith Barney and co-sponsored by Davie Chamber of Commerce & Schott Communities.

Sinise has also made his mark as a feature film director with OF MICE AND MEN, which he co-produced and co-starred in with John Malkovich, and MILES FROM HOME starring Richard Gere, Kevin Anderson, Helen Hunt and John Malkovich. Both were screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

His television credits include PATH TO WAR directed by John Frankenheimer on HBO; Showtime’s adaptation of Jason Miller's Pulitzer Prize winning play THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON directed by Paul Sorvino; award-winning performances in TRUMAN (Golden Globe, CableACE and Screen Actors Guild) and John Frankenheimer's GEORGE WALLACE (Screen Actors Guild, Emmy and CableACE). Currently, Gary portrays Detective Mack “Mac” Taylor on the popular CBS Series, CSI NEW YORK.

Sinise co-founded The Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago where he served as Artistic Director for seven years. He has since starred in over a dozen productions at the renowned theatre including the role of Tom Joad in THE GRAPES OF WRATH, for which he garnered a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award. In 1982, Mr. Sinise directed the landmark production of Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST at Steppenwolf and in New York, where he won an Obie Award for directing. In 1996, he also directed Sam Shepard's BURIED CHILD which kicked off Steppenwolf's 20th anniversary and continued with a successful run on Broadway where it was nominated for five Tony's, including one for best director.

On the humanitarian front, over the past year he has traveled to Iraq in support of the troops and as a result started “Operation Iraqi Children” with author Laura Hillenbrand. Through this charitable organization, and with the support of corporate sponsors, schools in the United States can visit www.operationiraqichildren.org and learn how to organize their own school drive to collect and send much needed classroom supplies to the children of Iraq. “Operation Iraqi Children” has also recently established the OIC/Katrina Relief Fund for people who wish to support sending school supplies and other children's needs to those affected by hurricane Katrina. He has made numerous trips with the USO in support of our troops and regularly performs with his band, Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band.

In addition to the November 9, Actors Studio style event with Gary Sinise, FLIFF will present a collection of some of his greatest moments on screen. There will be six (6) films total as follows: October 29, 1:00 p.m. FORREST GUMP, Regal Cinemas Cypress Creek October 31, 1:00 p.m. THE HUMAN STAIN, Regal Cinemas Cypress Creek October 20, 1:00 p.m. TRUMAN, Regal Cinemas Cypress Creek November 1, 1:00 p.m RANSOM, Regal Cinemas Cypress Creek November 9, 3:00 p.m. WALLACE at Miniaci Performing Arts Center November 10, Noon OF MICE AND MEN, Cinema Paradiso